Please select your home edition
Edition
TNI Pindar SW Ads_728x90px-2 TOP

America's Cup Rialto: January 29 - "The hardest day we have ever sailed these boats" - Bruni

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZ 29 Jan 2021 23:50 NZDT 29 January 2021
Luna Rossa - Waitemata Harbour - January 29, - Prada Cup - 36th America's Cup © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com

Luna Rossa joint helmsman Francesco Bruni summed up the first day of the Semi-Finals for the Prada Cup: "Today was the hardest conditions in which we have sailed these boats. There was a lot of wind, big puffs and there were times we were over the wind limit. It wasn't easy for us. It wasn't easy for them," he said with a nod to American Magic skipper Terry Hutchinson sitting to his left at the post-race media conference.

It came as a surprise that there was any racing at all, dialing into the Observations function of Predictwind, in the couple of hours leading up to the start of the race it was a mass of orange and red "traffic lights" indicating that the wind was over 23 knots on average and in most location was gusting over 30kts. That was well above the pre-start limit of 21.5kts.

However out on the course location off North Head and on the Stadium course, the wind appeared to soften slightly - and that allowed the start to proceed, without tripping the 21.5kt average measured over 30 seconds trigger.

While American Magic did not win a race today, just getting getting their AC75, Patriot, around the 16 course legs without another disaster, is a significant achievement for the US team as they bounce back from the capsize on the final leg of Race 6 in the Round Robins, 12 days ago.

On the water it was quite a different picture from the glib portrayal on the various TV broadcasts.

The SSW wind was very streaky, with plenty of pressure visible delineated almost with hard lines on the water. To confuse the issue still further there was plenty of cloud around causing a camouflaged effect, on the water, for those charged with wind spotting duty on foiling monohulls.

It was to be expected that Patriot would have some control issues, having been launched only on Wednesday - when winds were light, until very late in the afternoon. On Thursday there was more breeze, but to expect a flawless performance from the American Magic crew on a day as tough today, is simply unrealistic.

As it was the conditions only served to highlight and magnify any shortcomings on either boat and crew.

Today we saw American Magic use their "Batwing" mainsail for the first time in the regatta. In the media conference, Terry Hutchinson claimed it was the right sail based on the testing they had done. "It is lower windage. It generates the same amount of power for lower aero-drag. Between Jordi Calafat and Richard Bouzaid, they did some deep analysis into the Class Rule and came up with the concept. The whole idea is just to reduce drag", he added. The batwing mainsail has a different shaped leach profile at the head of the sail, and has the batten pockets extending beyond the edge of the sail. From what we've seen the team has two of the mainsails. One used in training had the whole leach reshaped to test the batwing concept, before a second sail was built.

The sail is definitely a heavy air option, and from what we've seen previously the reduced sail area in the head makes the AC75 a lot easier to handle and to sail right to the limit.

With the choice of the batwing mainsail, and a small jib for the first race, Patriot appeared to run counter to the usual racing maxim of rigging for the lulls and not the gusts.

Luna Rossa appeared to follow convention, and had a nice looking mainsail and jib combination, which would have given more power in the lulls than the batwing main and small jib of Patriot. Both teams changed to bigger jibs for the second race as the breeze lightened further.

The first qualified finalist, INEOS Team UK was on the racecourse, as they are entitled to do until 25 minutes before the start of the first race of the day.

The Ben Ainslie led team towed out and was the first to go sailing when the breeze was up. The Brits looked good upwind, doing a couple of runs up the course and through the start area before exiting stage left, the required 25 minutes before the start of racing.

The forecast for Saturday is for light sea breezes. Patriot has to win at least one race to stay in the America's Cup, otherwise they will be the first team to be eliminated.

In some ways their situation is similar to Artemis Racing in the 2017 America's Cup, who were down 3-1 to Softbank Team Japan in the first to five wins series, but came back to win 5-3 and took on Emirates Team New Zealand in the Challenger Final. Ironically Dean Barker was skipper of the Japanese team in that series.

As matters stand, and all not going well for American Magic on Saturday, they will be out by Saturday night, having had just seven days of racing.

At the other extreme in Fremantle in the 1986/87 America's Cup regattas, the Round Robin phase lasted three months and each Challenger sailed 34 races, before a four day Semi-Final and five day Final series.

Related Articles

Cup Spy - Finals - Who dares, wins
The AC75 proved its ability to provide compelling viewing, match racing at speeds touching 55kts Critics of the AC75 and its suitability as a match racer for the America's Cup should be eating their words after Sunday's Blinder in Barcelona Posted on 30 Sep 2024
America's Cup: Gulf Wars - your record of 36AC
A souvenir record of the regattas of the 36th America's Cup is now on sale across all regions A souvenir record of the regattas of the 36th America's Cup is now on sale in New Zealand, and available internationally published just over a week after racing concluded in the 36th America's Cup. Posted on 31 Mar 2021
America's Cup start expected to be postponed
For the America's Cup the earliest Auckland will come out of the Lockdown is Sunday, March 7 The NZ Prime Minister has announced a return to Alert Level 3 for seven days. For the America's Cup the earliest Auckland will come out of the Lockdown is Sunday, March 7. An announcement is expected from the permitted organiser America's Cup Event Ltd Posted on 27 Feb 2021
America's Cup: US$35,000 set as refit minimum
NZ government has clarified the requirements which must be met obtain border exemption The New Zealand government is, from July 2020, allowing foreign flagged vessels and yachts with booked-in refits or repairs to enter New Zealand. The minimum repair/refit value has been set at NZ$50,000 (US$33,300) Posted on 29 Jul 2020
Yacht clubs able to apply to new $20m Am Cup Fund
Yacht clubs are one group who would be able to apply for funding from the America's Cup fund. A $20million Lottery Fund has been created to help communities throughout New Zealand benefit from the 2021 America's Cup. The Minister made it clear that yacht clubs were one group who would be able to apply for funding from the America's Cup fund. Posted on 29 Nov 2018
America's Cup entry open in five days
Cheap talk stops, $1million initial entry fee due The talking stops in just five days in the 36th America's Cup. That's when entries open for the regatta due to be held in Auckland in March 2021. Posted on 27 Dec 2017
Am Cup - A look back at 2017 - Team NZ + Video
Emirates Team NZ - "It began with belief, and ended with redemption. " 2017 has been a monumental year for everyone at Emirates Team New Zealand - finally managing to win back the America's Cup for New Zealand. Here's a video looking back at Emirates Team NZ's year and a campaign. Posted on 21 Dec 2017
Am Cup: Dalton refutes AC75 cost claims
Some commentators have criticised the new boat as being too complex and too expensive Some Cup commentators have criticised the new boat as being too complex and too expensive. "To the people who say it's out of control cost-wise, they are uneducated – they have no idea what's going on here," Dalton fires back. Posted on 19 Dec 2017
Team New Zealand stake claim on America's Cup base
Emirates Team New Zealand stake claim on America's Cup base Ten challengers – both tangible and potential – are being taken seriously by Emirates Team New Zealand. But team boss Grant Dalton won't be disappointed if not all “pony up”. Posted on 19 Dec 2017
Am Cup - Lone Wolf close to sell out
Am Cup - Lone Wolf close to sell out "Lone Wolf - How Emirates Team New Zealand Stunned the World" has sold out for copies available directly from the publisher. Copies are still available through some retail outlets - Whitcoulls, Paper Plus and The Warehouse Posted on 15 Dec 2017
Lloyd Stevenson - AC ETNZ 1456x180px BOTTOMC-Tech 2021 SnuffAir 728x90 BOTTOMPredictWind - GPS 728x90 BOTTOM